The present invention relates generally to heating and cooling systems for buildings and mobile enclosures. More particularly, this invention pertains to the use of a microwave-heating element for a heating and cooling system. Thus, this invention relates to a system that utilizes microwave particle excitation energy sources for thermal work-loads of indoor spaces such as heating, hot water, cooling and refrigeration.
The thermal work-load comprises approximately 83% of energy consumption of a modern all-electric home. Present day heat pumps backed up by AC electric heating elements and heat of compression, central air conditioners with electric strip heaters were introduced in the 1950""s. These heat pumps have been around for almost five decades and are responsible for 55% of the total energy consumption in a home. The second largest energy use of the home is the electric hot water heater. Only minimal energy efficiency improvements have been made in the heating and cooling designs of heat pumps and hot water heaters over the last five to seven decades. However, refrigeration has significantly gained in energy efficiency since the first electric operated refrigerators were sold in large numbers in the 1940""s.
Aqueous ammonia systems are used as three way power source refrigerators in travel trailers and motor homes. The use of ammonia for cooling applications dates back to the middle of the 1800""s. By early in the 1900""s, the use of ammonia as a refrigerant was largely perfected in a closed cycle of evaporation, compression and condensation. The advantages of ammonia over various types of freon are numerous. First, Ammonia costs less than freon. Second, ammonia has a lower density than freon so less material is needed to charge a system. Third, Ammonia is more efficient than freon. Ammonia""s mass flow rate for a given refrigerating capacity is {fraction (1/7)} that of HCFC-22. Thus, only one {fraction (1/7)} the liquid needs to be pumped for a given refrigerating capacity and accordingly the mechanical and pumping system or thermal siphon circulating system will be smaller and use less power. Fourth, Ammonia requires smaller vapor line pipe sizes for large systems spread over a large area due to a reduced drop in saturation temperatures compared to freon. Fifth, ammonia systems are more tolerant of water contamination than freon systems. Finally, ammonia has more favorable heat-transfer coefficients than halocarbons.
A heat input refrigerator generally uses ammonia as the coolant. These heat input refrigerators use water, ammonia and hydrogen gas to create a continuous cycle for the ammonia coolant. These heat input refrigerators use a generator, separator, condenser, evaporator, and an absorber to create a flow cycle to create the cooling effect. The flow cycle works in several steps to provide the cooling effect and allow reuse of the ammonia. First, heat is applied to the generator by burning gas, propane, kerosene, etc. to heat a solution of ammonia and water within the generator. The input heat raises the temperature of the water and ammonia solution above the boiling point of the ammonia, and the boiling solution flows to the separator. In the separator the water separates from the ammonia gas. The ammonia gas then flows upward to the condenser which allows the ammonia gas to dissipate its heat and condense into a liquid. The liquid ammonia then flows to the evaporator where it mixes with hydrogen gas and evaporates, producing cold temperatures. The ammonia and hydrogen gas then flows to the absorber where the water collected in the separator is mixed with the ammonia and hydrogen gases. In this mixture, the ammonia forms a solution with the water and releases the hydrogen gas that flows back to the evaporator. The ammonia and water solution then flows to the generator where the cycle is repeated.
Another interesting field of the prior art includes microwave ovens that utilize radio waves to heat the food placed into the oven. Typical wave frequency for microwave ovens is 2.5 gigahertz. The radio waves at this frequency tend to be absorbed by water or food substances, while passing through glass or plastics. When these radio waves are absorbed by the food, the food converts the radio wave to heat and this causes the food to cook.
Generally, microwave ovens use a control system and an energy conversion system. The control system includes a relay for controlling the energy flow into a high voltage transformer. Power from the transformer is then sent to a rectifier that is used to power the magnetron. The magnetron then converts the electrical energy into the electromagnetic cooking energy. This electromagnetic energy is directed by a waveguide towards the food where a stirrer blade, rotating antennae, or a rotating plate is used to evenly distribute the energy onto the food. Metal shielding is used to contain the microwaves within the cooking compartment so that the waves bounce off of the container and impact the food from all sides.
A third interesting segment of the prior art is found in stealth technology used to hide aircraft from radar systems. The radar or microwaves consist of electric and magnetic fields and it is well known that an electric field exerts forces on charged particles. The use of magnetic fields to absorb radio energy from radar is well known in the field of stealth technology. As a microwave from a radar station penetrates a stealth technology composite, the composite turns the wave""s energy into thermal energy and absorbs it. In fact, some of these radar absorbing materials or composites include magnetic materials that respond to the magnetic field of the microwaves.
These prior art segments have, until now, not been combined to provide improved heat generation for air conditioning systems or hot water heating systems. Due to inefficiencies of the prior art, the present invention is utilized to allow microwave heating of refrigeration units, with improved results obtained by utilizing permanent magnets of oriented strontium ferrite in the heating process.
The present invention teaches a hybrid energy system for combining multiple energy resources. One unique aspect of the present invention teaches an air conditioning energy reactor for converting electricity into heat for use in an air conditioning system. The system utilizes a radio wave generator for converting electricity into microwaves that are directed at a target that receives the radio waves and converts them into heat.
One preferred embodiment of the present invention teaches the use of a magnetron to convert the electricity to radio waves.
One advantage of the present invention includes the use of a wave guide to direct the radio waves towards the target.
A further advantage of the present invention utilizes a power supply for controlling and modifying the characteristics of the electricity before the electricity is sent to the magnetron.
Yet another aspect of the present invention teaches a temperature sensor for generating a temperature signal corresponding to the heat of the target and a controller for operating the power supply according to the temperature signal.
One embodiment of the present invention utilizes a power relay for controlling flow of the electricity that is connected to a power transformer for transforming the electricity into high voltage power. The electricity then flows into a power rectifier connected to the power transformer, the power rectifier converts the high voltage power into direct current power. This rectified power is run through a filter for smoothing the direct current power to create a smooth direct current power that is supplied to a magnetron. The magnetron converts the smooth direct current power into radio waves that are guided to a target by a wave guide. The reactor is controlled through the use of a heat sensor thermally connected to the air conditioning system to monitor the heat generated by the target and output a temperature signal. This temperature signal is used by a controller for operating the power relay.
One advantage of the present invention is the use of a magnetic target for converting the radio waves into heat. The present invention utilizes a permanent magnet constructed from a ceramic such as an oriented strontium ferrite.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the use of a backup electrical heating element.
In this manner, the present invention teaches a heating system for applying heat to a heat input air conditioning system generator. The system teaches a wave converting system for transforming radio waves into heat. The wave converting system is placed in association with a heat input air conditioning generator to transfer heat from the converting system to the air conditioning generator. The wave converting system is impacted by radio waves from a radio wave emitter such as a magnetron.
The present invention provides an energy reduction for the thermal work load when compared to the compression heat pump for heating and cooling, the compressor operated refrigerator, and the electric water heater.
The hybrid energy system includes a vacuum-jacketed, insulated storage of energy.
The insulated storage of the present invention helps to better utilize energy from nature such as concentrated solar power and concentrated wind power.
The present invention also provides a multiple-energy compatible, on demand, efficient, year-round, back up energy, coupling reactor that utilizes high frequency energy from a magnetron to excite the energy field of a group of high energy, high temperature, permanent magnets. This method of exciting the energy field yields heat by impacting permanent magnets with microwaves from a magnetron.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a practicable and affordable system that can accomplish air heating and air cooling of indoor space and the heating of hot water as well as energy for food preservation by utilizing economical hybrid energy sources.
It is another object of the invention to provide the refrigeration and cooling of an aqueous ammonia absorption system utilizing ammonia 717.
It is another object of this invention to utilize the heat produced from the stress of permanent magnetic fields of force or the increased molecular activity, causing increased friction from the energy coupling reaction reactor.